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(NewsNation) — A U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer from El Paso, Texas, appeared in federal court after he was indicted and arrested for charges related to alleged false reporting of an excessive use of force.
Court documents reveal while CBP officer Jesus Espinosa, 52, was acting as a federal law enforcement officer in August 2021, he allegedly used excessive force to detain a person, including using a chokehold that led to the detainee being injured.
In a news release, U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas said Espinosa then allegedly made knowingly false statements when asked questions by his supervisor about the incident. He also said the detainee was being aggressive and noncompliant.
Simmons said Espinosa’s statement then led to a false report of assault on a federal officer rather than a report on the use of excessive force.
Espinosa was indicted on Wednesday, July 15, on one count of deprivation of rights under color of law and one count of false statement to a U.S. government agency. He was arrested July 17 and had his bond set to $10,000, NewsNation affiliate KTSM reports.
He was released from the El Paso County Detention Center on Monday. If convicted, Espinosa faces up to 15 years in prison for both charges.
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